Meadow Hall Staff Newsletter

We hope everyone had a wonderful spring break and feels ready to enter the 4th quarter energized!

Upon returning from Spring Break, each grade level will participate in two different assemblies. We will have a grade level "town hall" to review expectations. We will also have our quarterly Achievement/Growth assembly. Here are the dates/times to mark on your calendar:

Town Hall - Tuesday, April 11th in APR

• Grade 4 @ 2-2:30pm

Town Hall - Thursday, April 13th in APR

• Grade 2 @ 9:25-9:55am
• Grade 1 @ 10:10-10:40am
• Grade K @ 10:45-11:15am
• Grade 5 @ 2:00-2:30pm
• Grade 3 @ 2:45-3:15pm

Town Halls are purposely during focus group times so all teachers and paras that work with the students are able to join the town hall and hear the expectations along with the students. Only grades 4/5 are held at times other than focus group time, but all teachers/paras that work with each grade level should make an effort to attend.

Achievement/Growth Celebration

Friday, April 14th in APR

• Grades K-3 @ 2:00-2:30pm
• Grades 4-5 @ 2:40-3:10pm

A reminder: Math required assessment data is due April 12. This is the day after we return from Spring Break, so please try to have students complete any missing assessments this week.

Looking for staff members willing to volunteer to be pie'd in the face or sprayed with Silly String. Students attending the Fun Run have a chance to enter a raffle to later pie or silly string a staff member later in the school year.

Please let Ilana know if you are willing to participate!

Concern:

I have a concern regarding students who are sent to the nurse and then go home sick. In the past the office has called down to let me know that a student is going home. I either send another student or bring down their things myself if it’s during planning. This year students come back to class to get their things, and I just have to take their word that they are going home. It would be really nice to have a heads up from the nurse that they are leaving. I also think that it doesn’t make sense for the sick student to come back to class and expose the rest of the class further. Also, it would be really helpful during planning to somehow be notified if a student goes home early or to the nurse. There have been a few times this year that I have picked up students from recess and 1 or 2 are missing.

Admin Response:

When a student is being picked up by a parent from the health room, the health room will send them with a pass and mask to get their belongings, only if they are feeling well enough and not contagious with a known communicable disease. This will speed up the process of having all of the student's things for dismissal. However, if a student is sick with a stomach bug, fever, etc... another student or staff member will retrieve their belongings.

The front office will make every attempt to email the homeroom teacher when a student goes home early during lunch/recess/specials. Please don't hesitate to email or buzz the main office if you are unsure if a student went home.

Kindergarten

• Grading and Reporting: Operations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) is included as part of instruction but not reported out in the gradebook. The last topic in Module 4 includes OA, but it was reported in MP3.
• Content: Counting and Cardinality (CC) returns as a focus in MP4. Standards from the Counting and Cardinality domain are considered major content in kindergarten, and proficiency with these standards is developed throughout the year.
  The Kindergarten Counting and Cardinality Benchmarks and Proficiencies (REVISED 2022) document is provided to assist teachers in gauging students’ progress toward end-of-year proficiencies in Counting and Cardinality and diagnosing specific needs along the way.

Grade 1

• Grading and Reporting: Operations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) and Measurement and Data (MD) are included as part of instruction but not reported out in the gradebook.
• Assessments: Mid Module 6 has been revised. Please refer to the assessment overview for the current assessment and rubric.

Grade 2

• Grading and Reporting: Number and Operations in Base Ten (NBT) is included as part of instruction but not reported out in the gradebook. There are seven lessons that include NBT in M5. This domain is reported out in MP 1, 2, and 3.

Grade 3

• Grading and Reporting: Geometry (G), Number and Operations-Fractions (NF), and Operations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) are included as part of instruction but not reported out in the gradebook. Only one topic includes Geometry. Only three lessons include OA. Only two lessons include NF. The End of Module Assessment Assesses NF standards, but NF was reported in MP3.

Grade 4

• Grading and Reporting: Operations and Algebraic Thinking (OA) and Geometry (G) are included as part of instruction but not reported out in the gradebook. Module 4 includes only four G lessons.

Grade 5

• Assessments: There is no required assessment for MP4.

Math 5/6

• Assessments: There is no required assessment for MP4.
• The Math 5/6 PLC to study Grade 6 Module 5 will be Thursday, April 20 from 4:15 to 5:15. Teachers attending will receive a stipend. The PLC to study Module 6 will be held Thursday, May 11.

Welcome to Leader in Me Online

As members of the Leader in Me community, you have been granted access to Leader in Me Online. It includes so many great resources you can use! After setting up your account, you will also receive Leader in Me Weekly. These practical, tactical classroom implementation activity emails will come directly into your inbox each week. Let’s get started!

Please make sure you register with your mcpsmd.net email

To set up your account:

1. Go to https://www.leaderinme.com/users/sign-up

2. Enter the registration code in the box provided. Our registration code is: MHE59

3. Fill out the form and click Sign Up.

4. You will be granted access to the Leader in Me Online.

5. After you register with your mcpsmd.net email you will be able to use single sign on for future logins.

If you are having difficulty with this process feel free to reach out to support@leaderinme.com for assistance.

Allocations for Summer School

To determine the projected enrollment for this summer, last year’s student enrollment numbers were taken and divided in half to match this year’s reduced budget allocation. As a reminder, the summer school team will create and post job requisitions in ATS for the schools this year. Staff will be able to apply to positions starting March 27.

Your program will be able to hire:

3 planning teacher leaders (one for each school)- MHES Staff Can Apply and will be selected

1 program teacher leader(s)- Maryvale ES Staff Member will be Selected

1 summer secretary- Maryvale ES Staff Member will have priority, but MHES can apply

7 classroom teachers- (Maryvale Teachers will have Priority, but MHES can apply)

3 paraeducator(s)- (At least 1 MHES Para will be hired)

3 electives teacher(s)- MHES Staff Can apply

0 security (middle school only)

Once enrollment begins, and you are watching the numbers and needs of the students enrolling, you may request ELD and special education support. Based on the interest of Maryvale Staff, those who applied will be contacted to be considered for summer school positions. I know this is not ideal, but as we do not have our own building, we, as Principal's agreed to move forward in this way.

With limited classes, we can only recommend a limited number of students per school/ per grade level. Each grade level (K-5) Can recommend 11 students per grade level. Students will have to recommend based on Priority. I am asking that team leaders use some time this week and no later than next Wednesday (March 29th) to identify the 11 students K-5 who will be invited to attend summer school. Team leaders will get a link and be asked to place the names of those students in the link and email Ilana and me to let us know that the recommendations have been completed. Please see the criteria established by all 3 Principals to help guide your recommendation. I know it is not the best criteria, but we will use this as agreed upon by all three Principals. The Criteria are as follows:

CRITERIA

o 11 total (per school/per grade) ; TLs, Please prioritize top to bottom in spreadsheet

o Maintain a separate list of 10-15 kids in the event families decide they do not want their child to attend

Reading:

K-2 (met no evidence of learning measures, K-2 Diebls well below benchmark)

3-5 (met no evidence of learning measures, 3-5 reading RIT score below 25th percentile)

· Pull the measures, sort, and select our neediest groups. Not looking at our behavioral needs kids with social/emotional

Math:

K-5 (met no evidence of learning measures, OAT and Numbers in Operations strand scores are below the 25th percentile)

Grades 4 and 5 Social Studies Curricula Training

August 9, 2023 will be added as an additional day to receive summer training on the new grades 4 and 5 curricula. This session will be virtual from 8:30 AM – 3:30 PM. The session will be added in PDO by March 28.

(New) You’re Invited! Teaching About Judaism Professional Learning

[Although Judaism is not taught in elementary curriculum, this session is open to anyone who wants to learn more about the religion. All are welcome to attend it.]

The Institute for Curriculum Services will lead staff members in learning about Judaism as well as how to approach teaching it. This virtual professional learning opportunity is open to all staff members. Participants will earn 1 clock hour. (Flyer)

Date: April 13, 2023

Time: 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Location: Zoom

PDO #: 91730

(Updated) 2022-23 Elementary SS Resources & PD Opportunities

PTA MEETING THIS TUESDAY

Our April PTA meeting is happening Tuesday, April 11, at 7pm. Please join us in-person or on Zoom!

In-Person: Meet in the Media Center

Online Zoom Link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88420918867?pwd=NnhFUWV2RWhjQlRTSEpOU1EraHhNdz09
Meeting ID: 884 2091 8867; Passcode: MHESPTA

FUN RUN ON APRIL 29

Join us for an afternoon of community, exercise, door prizes, and of course, fun! Students and families will have the opportunity to run a lap around the track with their classmates. Medals will be given out to all student runners (walkers are welcome, too!). Prizes are available for the class and grade with the most attendance. A drawing will take place to see which students get to pie a teacher later during school.

When: Saturday, April 29, 1-3pm (rain or shine)
Where: Rockville High School Track, 2100 Baltimore Road, Rockville, MD

THE "BATTLE FOR SPARE CHANGE" RETURNS!

During the week leading up to the Fun Run, April 24-28, we will have a competition between Grades K-2 and Grades 3-5 to collect coins. Each day, coins brought in by the students will be weighed, and the grades with the most weight in coins by the end of the week will be the winners! REMEMBER: Pennies weigh more than dollar bills!

What will the winners get? The winning grades will get to PIE TWO TEACHERS IN THE FACE! The students who get to pie the teachers will be selected by attending the Fun Run and entering the raffle on April 29, from 1 to 3pm at the Rockville HS Track. Teachers will be pie'd on a later date at school for all to enjoy!

Money raised in this competition will be used to purchase school needs, primarily for P.E. and recess equipment.

SPIRIT NIGHT FUNDRAISER AT MCDONALD'S - APRIL 26
Join us for a night of fun at McDonald's that will help raise funds to directly support our 5th graders end of year promotion and celebration! Please help support them as they wrap up their last year at Meadow Hall.

When: Wednesday, April 26 from 5:00-8:00 p.m.
Where: McDonald’s, 2101 Veirs Mills Road, Rockville, MD (across from Twinbrook Shopping Center)

Mention “Meadow Hall PTA” when ordering in the restaurant or through the drive-thru.

Bring donations for the Autism Carnival (individual food items to sell and/or drinks)

K-2 Dibels Progress Monitoring - students in red are every 2 weeks and students in yellow every 4 weeks

Nominate Students for the next Celebration Assembly! Nomination Spreadsheet

Monday, April 3-10 - Spring Break!!!

Tuesday, April 11 - Town Hall

• Grade 4 @ 2:00-2:30pm

Tuesday, April 11 - Leadership Team mtg @ 3:45pm

Tuesday, April 11 - PTA mtg @ 7pm

Thursday, April 13th - Town Hall

• Grade 2 @ 9:25-9:55am
• Grade 1 @ 10:10-10:40am
• Grade K @ 10:45-11:15am
• Grade 5 @ 2:00-2:30pm
• Grade 3 @ 2:45-3:15pm

Friday, April 14th - Celebration Assembly (grades K-3 @ 2pm and grades 4-5 @ 2:40pm)

Tuesday, April 18 - Staff mtg @ 3:45pm

Friday, April 21 - Professional Day

Tuesday, April 25 - Equity PLC @ 3:45pm

Thursday, April 27 - Bus Evacuation Drill

Email: Ilana_N_Simhon@mcpsmd.org
Website: https://www2.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/schools/meadowhalles/
Location: 951 Twinbrook Parkway, Rockville, MD, USA
Phone: 240-740-5260